The Federal High Court in Lagos on Thursday sentenced one Mr Jones Biyere to 15 years’ imprisonment for forgery.
Biyere was convicted of forging 10 Lloyd’s TBS cheques and attempting to send the forged cheques abroad through the United Parcel Services.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had told the court that the convict committed the offence on May 31, 2006 on McCarthy Street, Onikan, Lagos.
The anti-graft agency said the convict violated Section 3(a)(b) of the Counterfeit Currency (Special Provisions) Act No. 22 of 1984, Cap. 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.
In his judgment on Thursday, Justice Mohammed Idris, said the EFCC proved the 13 counts it filed against the convict beyond reasonable doubt.
“He (Biyere) failed to give reasons why he wanted to send those exhibits abroad, knowing that they were fake.
“The evidence of the defendant is incapable of puncturing the evidence given by the prosecution,” the judge said
The judge noted that though the case, which began in 2006, took 12 years to conclude because of the “dilatory tactics” of the convict, he would temper justice with mercy as pleaded for by the defence lawyer.
He sentenced Biyere to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of counts one to 11. On counts 12 and 13, the judge sentenced him to 15 years’ imprisonment each.
He, however, said the prison terms would run concurrently.
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